Who makes DLP lamps?
There are only a few trusted manufacturers of DLP lamps: Philips, Osram, and Matsushita (Panasonic in the US). The most dependable and reliable brands seem to be Philips and Osram, with Philips in the lead as a pioneer of UHP lighting technology. These few manufactures produce lamps for Hitachi, JVC, Mitsubishi, Panasonic, Samsung, Sony, and other name brand television makers.
How does a DLP Lamp work?
DLP lamps are precharged with about 15,000 volts. That electrical charge ignites mercury gas inside the lamp. The easiest way to describe the lamp is a cross between an incandescent bulb and a florescent lamp. There is no actual filament wire inside the lamp, just wires that carry electrical current into mercury vapor located in an arc tube. This means DLP lamps will fail continuity tests like florescent lamps.
How long do DLP lamps usually last?
DLP Lamps manufactured by Philips and Osram have the best reliability. Older lamps will last from 1,000-2,000 hours, while newer lamps will last 6,000-7,000 hours. This translates to anywhere from less than 1 year to up to 4 years, depending on your useage and the type of lamp you have. There are bad brands out there, and companies that "remanufacture" lamps. Stay away from those companies! Those lamps may cost a lot less, but will not last as long. Expect to pay about $120-$150 for an average UHP Lamp. Discount Merchant carries Philips 132W E22 lamps for just $109.99.
How easy is it to replace a lamp?
Instead of spending $200 for the whole unit, you can easily replace just the lamp. Some people call this the "bulb-only solution." Almost all lamp replacement relies on the same principle: remove the ballast wires from the lamp, then swap out the lamp, then reverse the proceedure. It can take anywhere from 5-15 minutes depending on your personal dexterity with a screw driver, but replacing a lamp yourself is very straight forward. I can do it in 5 minutes!
Whether you have a Samsung, RCA, or Mitsubishi, swapping out the lamp is very easy. The ballast wires don't even have to go in any particular order because most DLPs use AC (alternating current, for those tech-savvy people).
Where do I purchase the lamps?
Bulb-only solutions and lamps may be purchased from many sources over the internet, around town, from the manufacturer, or through catalogue services. For the best prices, shop the internet, but make sure to purchase from a reputable company. Do some research and weigh your options. The lamps provided to us for this article came from Discount-Merchant.com, which sells bulb-only and lamps with enclosures for various TV models. I highly recommend them because they are one of the largest parts distributors in the United States with a very loyal customer base. Any company can sell you lamps, but Discount-Merchant.com also provides free technical support and same day shipping--just read their reviews online. </plug> lol!
Symptoms of a bad lamp:
- If you hear audio, but have no picture
- If you hear a ballast click, but the lamp doesn't ignite
- If you can't see the lamp light up in the back of the TV
- If you have blinking lamp indicator lights
- Visual indication that the lamp is blown
- Dim picture after years of use
Symptoms of another part malfunctioning:
- Consistant or inconsistant clicking from the ballast
- Screeching or winding sounds from the color wheel
- No picture, no audio (possible power supply or ballast)
- Blurry picture, or truncated picture (DMD or light tunnel)
- No blinking lights, or different blinking lights
- Spots or blobs on the screen (prevalent in LCD projection)
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How to replace a RCA lamp, Part Number 265866. Click on the pictures to enlarge.
What you'll need:
- A Torx T9 screwdriver
- A Phillips screwdriver
- A Pair of Pliers
- A new Philips Lamp
- About 5 minutes of your time
Note: Handle the bulb with gloves or a lint-free cloth. Oils from your fingers can damage the bulb!
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Here are some of the tools you'll need. |
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Remove the screw from the side of the lamp, then remove the nut from the back of the lamp (the post) |
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Remove the ballast wires. |
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Remove the clamp holding the lamp in place. This is where the torx screw driver comes in handy. |
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Carefully remove the lamp. You can recycle the bad lamp (DO NOT throw it away in the trash. These lamps must be recycled/disposed of properly) |
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Here's what it looks like without the lamp. |
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Put a new lamp in there! |
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NOTE: Be careful when screwing-in the side connector on to your new lamp. The terminals are delicate and can break. Screw the clamp/craddle thing back in to hold the lamp in place, then put wires into place with the nut and screw everything back in. |
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In about 5 minutes, you're done! |
Any questions or comments are appreciated; I'll try to answer them as soon as I can! If you need more info, simply drop me an email at adelauney84@hotmail.com. So, leave some comments! How long has your lamp lasted? I've heard some lasting 15,000 hours! Who have you purchased from? What's your experience buying online?
Is there somewhere I can post pictures of my replacement lamp procedure ;)
Cheers,
M.Walker